The Proposal
by Acliptika
Summary: It's been a few month since the Herd got to Hyrax Island and Diego finally admit his true feelings for Shira. He loves her but he is too afraid to ask her the "Big Question", will he be able to overcome his fear and what will Shira probably say to his proposal?
1. Chapter 1

Hello their Folks, enjoy the first Chapter for my ShiraXDiego Story "The Proposal". I hope you like it and leave a review and maybe also a favorite and follow if you like it a a lot. :D

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Ice Age. I only own my OC's and the plot and storyline of almost every story, I created. But still enjoy the story and please leave a Review. ^^

* * *

 **Chapter 1:**

It's been a few month since the herd arrived at Hyrax Island, together with their newest member, Shira. The female Sabre grew close to everyone in the herd, especially Diego. Both of them enjoyed the companion of another Sabre in their group of herbivores. They spend a lot of time alone, they laughed together, they hunted in the near forest, they races against each other and made play-fights to test their fighting skills.  
The whole time was pure joy for them, especially for Diego. He spend as much time as possible with his Siren, he laughed, smiled and enjoyed his life to the fullest.  
But it wasn't enough, he wanted more. He wanted to be more than good friends with Shira, he wanted to be her boyfriend. No more, he wanted to marry her, to be her lovin' husband and mate. To settle down and raise a family with her, she was his siren. The person he dreamed of every time he felt asleep, the person he thought to be the funniest, loveliest and prettiest sabre he's ever seen his entire life.

" _Hey Softie, you're comin' or not?"  
_ Shira asked one morning as she went out into forest, to hunt to together with Diego like hundred times before. She snapped Diego out of his daze who was just staring in the distance.  
"What's going on with him, he seems to be so distracted these days. I guess something's bothering him" she thought.  
"Or he just had a terrible sleep, could be possible with Sid snoring all the time" She smirked and made her way into the forest.  
Diego finally got back onto his paws and followed Shira into the forest, still worried about all the things that rushed thought his mind for the past few weeks.  
"What would she say, does she love me or does she just see me as good friend of hers. Would she agree to be my married wife or even my mate?" This thoughts were killing Diego, he didn't knew what do to, he was to afraid to ask Shira, but also he wanted to be more with her than good friends.

He kept staring at her while they walked silently through the woods, he focused on every attribute of her gorgeous figure, the black stripes that run over her beautiful silver-coated body, the muscles who you could see clearly whenever she made a step forward and the two earrings in her right ear who created a reflection in the light of the early morning sun.  
"She is the most beautiful sabre I've ever seen, I want to spend the rest of my life with her, I want her to be my siren, I want her to be the silver moon that shines bright in my life, even in the darkest of nights." his mind trailed of as he and Shira went further into the forest who was their hunting area.

He snapped out of his thoughts when Shira started to sniff the air in the attempt to find the scent of a potential meal for both of them. After a while she started to get into a crawling position and moved deeper into the woods.  
"She must've found something." he thought and followed close behind her. After a moment they saw what Shira had detected though her fine sense of smell. A lone deer stood in the grassy field before them completely alone and unaware of their presence.  
They readied themselves and sneaked near the deer, when they got close enough both of them got into pouncing position and jumped out of the bush, they were hiding in.  
The deer started to run for his life, but his death was inevitable. A couple of seconds later, he laid dead on the field, his neck snapped thought a heavy bit from Diego's Jaws.  
They satisfied their hunger and buried the deer's guts and bones in a little hole, which they dug into the ground.  
After her successful hunt they wash the blood of their fur and headed home to the herds clearing. Little did Diego know that Shira had coughed him early, when he was staring at her while they headed thought the woods.

"First he stares at the distance for a long time after he got up in the morning and then he kept staring at me while we headed thought the woods. Something is really bothering him, I'm sure of it and it happens to be that I'm a part of it. I need to talk to him, when we're back at the clearing."

* * *

 **Authors Note:**

So, as I mentioned before this is the first chapter, there are a lot to come I promise. This is also my first story on so please leave me a comment and a review in the section. the next chapter should be up in the next few days i guess, probably on Wednesday or Thursday, dunno. It happens to be 4:30 A.M so I'm probably heading to bed now. :)


	2. Chapter 2

Hello their Folks, enjoy the second Chapter for my ShiraXDiego Story "The Proposal". I hope you like it and leave a review and maybe also a favorite and follow if you like it a a lot. Also my apologies for the long delay between the updates, I had a lot stuff to do for studies and also a lot happened to me in my private life, Accidents, Injuries and so on. I hope I'am able to post the next chapter faster than this one.

 **Disclaimer:** I still do not own Ice Age. I only own my OC's and the plot and storyline of almost every story, I created. But anyways enjoy the story, leave a comment and review in the section below and have fun as always.

* * *

 **Chapter 2:**

When they finally arrived at the clearing, Diego decided to take a little walk around the clearing to get his head free of his thoughts. He was about go out when someone grabbed his tail, he turned out rather harshly just to calm down when he realised it was Shira. He smiled at her and she released his tail and returned the smile fondly.

She walked up to his side and asked him with a seductive voice _,,And where do you think you're going Tiger?"_

 _,,Umm I just wanted to go take a walk around the clearing, nothing special."_ He obviously kept the true purpose to himself.

 _,,Mind if I come with you?"_ He hesitated at first, he wanted to think about all the thoughts that rushed though his mind, but he assumed it would probably cause Shira's suspicion if he would walk of without her, so he just nodded and walked into the woods, with Shira closely behind him.

They headed silently thought the woods until they came to a little opening not far away from the herd's clearing, a lone water pond in the middle, grass growing all over the ground and trees placed all around the opening, a natural shield against the freezing wind and unwanted attention.

Diego lied down next to the pond and started to lick the white underside of his belly. "She is really a peace of work, she is amazingly beautiful, strong, confident and cunning. Even her personality is beyond perfect, I need her at my side, I want to be her mate, I love her since I first laid my eyes on her" he signed.  
"But does she return those feelings, does she love me too, would she even consider me as mate?" his thoughts soon trailed of again, like all those times before.

Shira sensed this and started to walk over to his side, the early morning sun shone bright though the treetop and bathed the opening in golden light. The sunlight made Diego's fur shine almost golden and turned his hazel eyes into a pair of shining emerald orbs.

"I can't help but realize how beautiful he looks in the sunlight, his fur almost golden and his eyes two stunning emerald orbs, he's quite easy on the eyes." She shook her head to get rid of these thought. "No Shira, don't tell me you're falling for this guy. You're a confident, strong and independent female sabre, you won't fall for this guy even if he is that handsome." She signed and started to get lost in her own thoughts.

,,This handsome guy gave me a new purpose in life, gave me a chance to start again and never asked for something in return. Maybe this was fate, maybe everything what happened was destined to happen just like it did."  
She suddenly remembered where she was and placed herself next to Diego. The noise snapped him out of his thoughts, he looked over to her but said nothing, neither did she. They just shared a smile and enjoyed the company of each other. After a while Shira decided to break the silence, which started to get a bit awkward.

 _,,Diego, can I ask you a question?"_

 _,_ _,Uhm yeah sure whatever you want to know"_.

Shira smiled and continued with a rather concerned voice, _,,I don't want to offend you, but you seem to be very distracted these days, you always stare at the distance for a long time, I also caught you staring at me when we headed back though the woods. Something is bothering you, isn't it? Is there anything you want to tell me Diego?"_

 _,,No, not at all. There is nothing at all.", he replied, but Shira knew there was something._

 _,,C'mon Softie, I know there is something, why else would you be so distracted and distant all the time?"_

 _,,Uhm, I'm just a bit tired, I guess"_

 _She rolled her eyes and continued, ,,Yeah sure, you've been like this for almost a week now. You can't be tired for an entire week, can you?"_

He frowned and bit on his lips, ,,Damned, she's quite persistent, I need to get out of this conversation, before I make an even grater fool of myself in front of her. _,,Look Shira, don't take this personally. But you don't have to worry about me and my problems, okay?"_

 _,,So you admit that something is bothering you?"_ He mentally slapped himself for his comment. ,,Now she won't stop asking me about it, well played Diego, well played!" He signed. "Better to come up with a good excuse now, otherwise she'll maybe find out."

, _,Okay, you're right. There is something bothering me, but you shouldn't be worried about it."_

 _,,Why shouldn't I be worried Diego?"_

 _,,Because it's nothing, nothing to be concerned of at least."_ After he spoke those words he started to walk away from Shira, leaving the female sabre confused and alone at the little opening, unfortunately only 'till she darted past Diego, blocking the path he was trying to use to escape their conversation.

She then continued talking, while he stared at her worriedly, , _,Diego, please I beg you. Tell me what's bothering you."_

 _,,You wouldn't understand"_ , he replied drily.

 _,,Of course I would, at least I could try to."_

She closed the short distance between them and put her paw on his. At first he was confused, but then a smile spread across his face and the worried expression faded, Shira smiled at his reaction and continued, even more concerned now, but with a soft undertone in her voice.

 _,,Remember the words you said to me back at the tree-prison? In a herd, you help each other out. You have each others backs, does those words mean anything to you?"_

 _,,Of course they do",_ he replied.

 _"But why don't you want to talk about it then?"_

 _,,Because y-you don't have to be worried about me."_

 _,,But I am, I am worried about you Diego. I care about you, just like we care about each other. We are in a herd, do I really need to repeat those words for you over and over again?"_ she asked with a questioning voice, _,,You're after all a founding-member, aren't you? You should know the herds maxim best."_ she slightly chuckled after her last words and looked at Diego, locking her sapphire eyes with his shining emerald orbs.

 _,,C'mon Diego, I beg you again. Tell what's bothering you. Let me help you, just like you helped me."_

 _H_ e moved his hackles nervous and replied, _,,I can't tell you okay."_ He signed again before continuing, _,,Could you please give me a little time for myself? I just need to think about a lot of thing that rushed though my head",_ he started to walk past her sitting form, heading deeper into the woods that surrounded the opening, leaving a confused and worried Shira in his tracks.

 _,_ _,What could be so awful, or even horrible, that he won't share it with me?"_ she said out loud.

After a short moment Shira got up and started to get lost in her thoughts, while she headed back to herds clearing, ,,Maybe I'm just a bit to concerned and it's really nothing. But I can't help thinking that something horrible is bothering him. But why wouldn't he share it with me then.

Maybe he's just like me, too stubborn to share or admit any problems or even feelings. Or maybe it has really something to do with me, that would explain why he stared at me while we headed back from our hunting-trip, also it might be the reason, why he doesn't want to talk about it.

,,I might need to talk to Ellie when I'm back, she knows Diego longer than me. Maybe she can help me discover what's bothering him. I never thought I might need a girls talk with her, but right now it seems like a great idea." with that, she continued walking back to the clearing, clearly concerned now, what she was going to do now.


	3. Chapter 3

Hello their Folks, enjoy the third Chapter for my ShiraXDiego Story "The Proposal". I hope you like it and leave a review and maybe also a favorite and follow if you like it a a lot. I'm taking a little time now to thank everyone who read and reviewed my story so far, you guys keep my motivation and passion at highest peak, also I'd like to thank "iNatsuBlueCyan789" for adding the story to her favorite-list and "Stubborn Saber" and "WriterMonkey0626" for following. Love ya all ;)

Next chapter might be uploaded within the next two weeks, but I'm not sure yet. It might take a little longer, even though I have more spare-time now, since all my final exams are over. Also my apologies for the short delay, I originally planned to upload this chapter on Friday (yesterday), but well I started to do drinking games with some friends, while playing League of Legends, in the end I was too drunk to write anything properly. :)

 **Disclaimer:** I still do not own Ice Age. I only own my OC's and the plot and storyline of almost every story, I created. But anyways enjoy the story, leave a comment and review in the section below and have fun as always.

* * *

 **Chapter 3:**

A cold breeze rushed through the woods, but that doesn't affect the predator who stood before us. He was far to concerned about his thought, he didn't even notice it. Always the same thoughts over and over again, repeated in his head like an endless circle. A circle of love and fear. A never ending exchange of greatest pleasure and deepest mental depression and emptiness.

,,I can't stand this any longer", he thought to himself. ,,I have to know, but I'm afraid, afraid like spineless prey, but I shouldn't be afraid, for I'am the predator. But still I'am, I can't help it. What if she doesn't feel the same, what if she decides to ditch me, I couldn't live any longer and I would rather die than letting her slip and fade away from my life and memory."

 _,,Diego, Diego, Diego!"_ , his thought were interrupted by an all to familiar voice behind him. He turned his head to the source and saw his old mammoth friend Manny, standing there next to one of the larger trees, a serious expression on his face.

 _,,We're all worried about you, what's bothering you Diego?"_

 _,,It's nothing, nothing to be seriously concerned of at least."_

 _,,But we're concerned and worried, everyone of us, well almost everyone of us."_ then he continued with an even more concerned voice, _,,I heard you talking to yourself, what do you mean with 'You would rather die than letting her slip and fade away'? I assume we're talking about Shira, aren't we?"_ , Diego gave a small nod as an answer and turned his face away from Manny, facing one of the larger trees right in front of him.

 _,,C'mon Buddy, even though I might have an idea what's bothering you, please tell me what exactly is in your mind."_

Shira just stared in the fire, fascinated by it but yet in deep though. _,,Both Manny and Diego are absent, I guess the timing couldn't be better for me."_ The flames crawled their way up to the top, before they felt again and crashed down to the bottom of the fireplace, sending flickers across the ground and leaving shadows on the wall.

Shira forced herself to look away from this spectacle, to focus on the true purpose of her appearance in the clearing. She turned to Ellie and asked in the most polite may possible,

 _,,Ellie, can I ask you a question?"_

 _,,Of course sweetheart"_ , she answered.

 _,,Can I talk to you in private?"_

 _,,Do you mean a girls talk?"_

 _,,I guess so,"_ replied Shira and a small grin appeared on her face.

, _,Of course, follow me , I know a place where we ought to have a little bit more privacy."_ with that Ellie went out of the clearing with Shira following behind her.

Diego sighed again, should he tell Manny what's bothering him. He knew that he could trust him, but something inside him made him hesitate.

When he turned around and saw the serious expression on his friends's face, he realised that he really cared and that he wanted to help him.

 _,,You want to know what's bothering me all the time?"_ , he asked his mammoth friend and Manny gave a small nod in responds.

,,I'am worried Manny, worried about what might happen."

 _,,You love her, don't you?"_ asked Manny only to receive another nod from his feline friend.

 _,,If you truly love her, then you'll have to tell her how you feel and that you want to be at her side."_

 _,,That's the exact problem, what if she doesn't feel the same. What if she doesn't want to be my mate. What if she decides to ditch me when I tell her how I feel. I could never let that happen, I can't live without her."_

The despair in his friend's voice shocked Manny, he knew that Diego had a soft spot within his heart, but now he realised how desperate he really was. He wanted someone to love and to live with. He wanted a family.

 _,,Diego, can I ask you a question?"_ , asked Manny with a concerned undertone in his voice.

 _,,Uhm sure, what do you wanna know?"_ replied Diego.

 _,,How much means Shira to you Diego?"_

Diego was slightly taken aback by that question, but he replied rather confident, _,,She means everything to me, I would do anything to be at her side and to make her mine. I love her so much, it hurts!"_

 _,,So why do you hesitate then? Tell her, otherwise you'll never know what you'd miss. Tell her exactly what you feel for her and I'm sure she will return those feelings. She would never turn you down, I'm sure of it. Even if she doesn't return your feelings, which I hardly doubt, she would never leave you. Your two's bond is really strong and it cold endure anything._

Diego just sat there, completely silent and with a serious and forlorn expression on his face, thinking about what his friend Manny just said. He knew Manny was right, he had endured the same struggle, thus he knew what was the right thing to do. Diego was simply to blind and to shy to realize the truth. He had to tell her, otherwise he would never know.

 _,,Manny you're right, I have to tell her. I need to know, otherwise I will probably go insane sooner or later. Thank you, thank you so much. You made me realize what's the right thing to do."_

Manny smiled at his friend, he finally would admit his feelings to Shira. Everyone knew they liked each other. She would never turn him down, he knew it. _,,No problem buddy, that's what friend are for. Now go get her tiger and good luck."_

Diego got up, turned to Manny and mouthed a "Thanks" to him. Manny just gave a small nod in response. The sabre vanished into the woods, heading into the direction of their clearing, to search Shira and tell her exactly how he feels.

They soon arrived at a little pond of water, not far away from the herd's clearing. Ellie made herself comfortable and Shira sat down on her haunches and started to look at Ellie, with a concerned and worried expression written across her face.

 _,,So what do you want to know Shira, what's bothering you?"_ Ellie started their conversation.

 _,,It's Diego"_ , she replied, _,,He started to behave really weird."_

 _,,What do you mean, weird? What did he do?"_ Ellie asked.

 _,,We went out of the clearing, to get something to eat, like we usually do. I caught him staring in the distance back then, with a desperate and lone expression on his face. Also I caught him staring at me, when we headed headed back from our hunting-trip."_

Ellie thought about what Shira had explained to her, she came to the conclusion that something bothers Diego and she already had an idea what that was.

 _,,You didn't hear the rest of it"_ , continued Shira. _,,When I tried to help him, his strange behaviour continued. He denied that something was bothering him and after he finally admitted his problem, he tried to convince me that it was nothing to be really concerned of. I wanted to help him, but he didn't want to tell me. Can you help me Ellie? Can you help me find out what's bothering him?_

 _,,Of course Shira, we're in a herd, we look out for each other."_ answered Ellie.

 _That's exactly what I told him back then, but he still refused to tell me."_ interrupted Shira. _,,Oh, sorry Ellie, please continue."_

 _No problem Shira,_ replied Ellie. _Anyways, you said your caught him staring at you and you noticed him being really distant and desperate nowadays?_

 _,,Yes, that pretty much sums it up"_ , answered the silver tigress. _,,Do you know what might be his problem?"_

 _,,I have an idea, but first let me ask you a question. Do you like Diego, I mean do you like him a lot?"_

Shira was taken aback by that question, but eventually decided that she could trust Ellie with her deeper thoughts and secrets. _,,Yes I do, he's a really handsome guy",_ she replied and chuckled slightly. _,,We have so much in common, we spend most of our time together. Also he really does care for me, he made me realize what it feels like to have someone. Someone whom you could trust and who stands always by your side._

 _,,Yes I knew it"_ screamed Ellie and looked over to Shira, just to see her with a confused expression written on her face. _,,Oh, I might explain my sudden outburst"_ and Shira gave a nod in response.

 _,,You said you felt that he cares for you and that he would stand by your side no matter what, that proves my suspicion. Including the things Diego did and including his behavior, I do know what's going on with Diego!"_

 _,,And what is it, what's bothering him?"_ asked Shira, now with eager in her voice.

 _,,I won't tell you exactly what I think, but let me tell you, that you really need to talk with Diego again. Might tell him again that you caught him staring at you and also try to be more passionate in what you're about to say, it'll help him to reveal his secrets to you, trust me Shira. I know such things"_

Shira again gave a nod to her mammoth friend and thanked her for everything she had done so far, before turning around to find Diego. Maybe he'll reveal his secrets this time, Shira vanished into the direction of the clearing, leaving Ellie far behind her.


End file.
